Pump Some Iron

by Ashley Messick, Social Media Specialist, vegetarian, and bench presser of 30 pounds

Iron. It is essential for nearly all known organisms. The primary function of iron in the body is to transport oxygen. About 67 percent of body iron is present as hemoglobin and myoglobin. Hemoglobin, which is present in red blood cells, is essential for transferring oxygen from the lungs, via the blood, to the tissues; myoglobin is present in muscle cells and accepts, stores, transports and releases oxygen in the muscles. Iron is an essential element for blood production*. It also happens to be one of the common reasons for which donors are turned away from donating blood temporarily.

It may be because I am a petite woman, who also happens to be a vegetarian, that close to three out of every four times I have tried to give blood I have been turned away for a low hemoglobin count. I fill out the paperwork, stretch out my hand for the finger prick, and wait for the verdict. So believe me I identify with the many men and women alike who come to donate and are unable to due to a hemoglobin count that does not meet the guidelines for blood donation.

I have to admit that it still feels a little disappointing. Giving blood is something I prepare for: physically by eating a healthy, filling meal and drinking plenty of water before donating and mentally by remembering that I am saving three lives with my donation (and by listening to “We are the Champions” or “The Eye of the Tiger” on the way). Thankfully I am encouraged by the stories of all of our patients who have benefited from the generosity of blood donors and of course inspired by all of the wonderful BCP donors themselves, so I keep on trying. I eat my iron rich foods like spinach, raisins, bran cereal, and lentils (for more iron-rich foods click here or here).

So if you ever are deferred from donating blood for a low iron count, don’t get discouraged. “Pump some iron”, by eating those iron rich foods, and come back in to try again. In the meantime don’t forget you can always support the important cause of blood donation by talking to your friends and family about coming in to donate as well!

photo credit: gcardinal

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